BHP Billiton,
Rio Tinto Group and other
iron ore miners in Western
Australia could increase the
iron ore output 56 percent by 2010 as they expand capacity and build new mines.
Australia's Industry and Resources Department Deputy Director Gary Stokes said “Mines in Western
Australia could produce more than 400 million tons of
iron ore by 2010, up from 256 million tons in 2005.”
Rio and
BHP, the world's second and third largest
iron ore exporters are investing around $2.7 billion to expand the capacity of Western Australian mines in an effort to meet increasing demand of
China.